PBY, G-21, B-17 and P-51 Restoration

Top photo: The PBY flying over the water in the Netherlands before coming to the United States. Bottom photos: Restoration work on the nose turret, bombardier’s view port and waist gun turrets nears completion. Once the work has been finished, the bomber will be repainted in markings it sported when flying with the VP-73 Squadron based in Iceland during WWII. This PBY (Bu. No. 2459) was the United States’ highest scoring U-boat destroyer in history, and is the oldest PBY in operation. For this plane’s complete chronology and photos see our website.

Left photo: The amphibious Grumman Goose on the grass airstrip at the American Heritage Museum. This aircraft was assigned to CGAS Biloxi, and as a USN aircraft was used by the Coast Guard. Top photo: A WWII Goose with Coast Guard markings that we will duplicate once work on the aircraft has been finished. The Goose is currently at American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach, Florida with the PBY and B-17 undergoing repairs and new paint scheme.

Grumman Goose

P-51C Mustang

Top left photo: Capt. Wallace Emmer, 353rd FS and cameraman 1st Lt. A.R. Madsen stand by “The STARS LOOK DOWN”, the P-51B Mustang fighter that carried General Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, over front lines of Saint Lo, France. Top right photo: The Foundation’s P-51C Mustang flying with prior “Betty Jane” markings. Bottom photos: The Collings Foundation’s P-51 Mustang is getting a complete restoration and new paint scheme in honor of General Eisenhower’s famous P-51 reconnaissance aircraft.

Top photo: The B-17G Flying Fortress when it was on display at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in Oregon. Bottom photos: The B-17 was flown to American Aero Services in New Smyrna Beach, Florida in 2017 to start a complete nose to tail restoration. Work on the wings and wing spar has been ongoing. We hope to have this B-17 flying by 2023. For latest restoration updates see www.CollingsFoundation.org

B-17G Flying Fortress